Boston is preparing for such a scenario in 2009.
The early returns however, are promising, as preparation for the upcoming law has forced hospitals to maximize efficiencies and minimize backlogs that can lead to bottlenecks.
One of the keys is decompressing the wait for inpatient beds, so emphasis has to be placed on adequately staffing the floors and maximizing the discharge efficiency.
One hospital is even instituting a “code help,” a plan “that will include suspending teaching rounds when the ER is overflowing and doctors are urgently needed to discharge patients on the floors.”
For the sake of resident education, let’s hope that doesn’t happen too often.
